Four injured in Ray Brook collision

April 23, 2013

RAY BROOK - Four people were hospitalized following a serious motor vehicle collision on state Route 86 Monday afternoon.

The accident happened in front of the entrance to the Saranac Lake Golf Club driving range. Ray Brook-based state police were called to the scene at 1:54 p.m. Trooper Nick Delahant said Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department personnel and a forest ranger were already there when he arrived.

Delahant said Melody Hayes, 18, of Saranac Lake, was driving a silver Honda Accord toward Lake Placid when she stopped to make a left turn into the driving range entrance. She believed the road to be clear, Delahant said, and made the turn, but didn't notice a silver Dodge Caravan with a Scott's Florist decal, driven by 72-year-old Thomas Hennessy of Saranac Lake, in the oncoming lane.

Article Photos

Emergency personnel work to extricate a person from a Honda Accord after a two-vehicle collision on state Route 86 in Ray Brook, near the Saranac Lake Golf Club driving range.(Enterprise photo — Jessica Collier)

"He had no chance to stop," Delahant said. "They T-boned, and both cars bounced off of each other, coming to rest in the ditch by the entrance."

The air bags in both vehicles deployed. Each vehicle sustained extensive damage.

The Saranac Lake and Lake Placid rescue squads responded to the scene, transporting four people to local hospitals. Hennessy, who was driving alone, was taken to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, where he was treated and released for bruising in the chest area. Hayes suffered the most serious injuries; she was treated at AMC-Lake Placid for a broken left collarbone, Delahant said, as well as cuts, scrapes and bruises. She has also been discharged from the hospital.

Article Map

Hayes had two female passengers, both from Saranac Lake: 20-year-old Olivia Bushey and 19-year-old Nicole Larson. Bushey was treated for cuts and bruises at AMC-Lake Placid and released, while Larson was taken to AMC-Saranac Lake, where she was treated for possible torn right knee ligaments, cuts and bruises. She was also released, Delahant said.

Delahant said Hayes was ticketed for failure to yield the right of way when making a left turn.

"After surveying the scene, I also found some marijuana in the car and one smoking device," he said. Hayes now faces one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation, Delahant said.

Larson was also allegedly in possession of marijuana. She and Hayes will be issued appearance tickets returnable to North Elba town court at a later date, Delahant said.

The vehicles were towed from the scene by Madden's Towing and Recovery and Central Garage.

Delahant thanked Saranac Lake firefighters for their help.

"They did a good job with helping out with traffic control during a busy time of day there," he said. "There was a lot of traffic."